Blocked toilets and sinks in Broxbourne, East Herts and Waltham Abbey

Why has my toilet or sink blocked?

Indoor blockages usually come from what has gone down them. In toilets the culprits are wipes, sanitary products, nappies and too much paper. In kitchen sinks it is fat, oil and food scraps that set inside the waste pipe. Bathroom basins, baths and showers clog with hair, soap and scum.

Occasionally the fixture is not the problem at all. If several appliances back up together, the blockage is probably further down, in the drain that serves the whole house.

What can I safely try first?

• Use a plunger with a good seal. For a toilet, work it firmly several times without splashing.
• In a sink, remove the plughole strainer and clear anything visible, then try the plunger.
• Unscrew and empty the U-bend trap under a basin or kitchen sink, using a bowl to catch the water and wearing gloves.
• Pour hot, not boiling, water down a sink blocked by fat. Boiling water can crack porcelain and soften plastic pipes.

Do not keep flushing a blocked toilet. The water has nowhere to go and may spill onto the floor.

Should I use drain cleaning chemicals?

They are best avoided. Strong chemicals can be hazardous if they splash, can damage some pipes and fittings, and can leave dangerous liquid in the pipe for whoever works on it next. Mild treatments may help with a slow drain, but they rarely shift a solid blockage in a toilet.

When should I get help?

Consider an enquiry when a plunger makes no difference, when the water level drops and then rises again, when more than one fixture is affected, or when a blockage returns within days of being cleared. Several fixtures clogging together points to the main drain, and that is a job for a drainage engineer, not a plunger.

How is a blocked toilet or sink usually cleared?

Most engineers start with the simplest fix that will work. A basin or kitchen sink can often be cleared by taking the trap and waste pipe apart and cleaning them. A toilet may need a hand auger, a flexible tool that reaches round the bend in the pan. If the blockage is further along, the engineer may rod or jet the drain outside instead, then check it with a camera to find out why it blocked.

What is the health risk if sewage comes up?

If dirty water rises through a floor drain, shower tray or toilet, treat it as contaminated. Sewage may carry bacteria and viruses. Keep children and pets away, wear waterproof gloves, wash your hands afterwards, and do not use the affected fixtures. Clean hard surfaces with hot water and disinfectant, and discard anything porous that cannot be washed safely.

Why does a toilet keep blocking?

Repeat blockages with no obvious cause deserve a closer look. A low-flush cistern may not carry waste far enough, a pipe may have a sag or a rough joint where paper catches, or roots and debris may be building up further along the drain. A camera inspection can find the reason, and fixing it is better than clearing the same blockage every few weeks.

What should never go down a toilet or sink?

• wipes, including those sold as flushable
• nappies, cotton buds, sanitary products and dental floss
• cooking fat, oil and grease
• coffee grounds, rice and food scraps
• paint, plaster and cement

Toilets are made for urine, faeces and toilet paper only.

I rent my home. Who deals with this?

Tell your landlord or letting agent, in writing, and say which fixtures are affected. In most tenancies, repairs to drains and fixtures that are not caused by misuse fall to the landlord, though the terms of your agreement matter. A tenant should avoid arranging and paying for work without checking first.

Does this apply to a business?

Yes. Offices, shops, cafes and takeaways rely on working toilets and sinks. Heavy use and food waste make blockages more likely, so food businesses should keep fats and grease out of the drain and ask what is needed to manage them. Say in your enquiry that the premises are commercial, and mention any grease trap.

What should I put in my enquiry?

• your postcode and the type of property
• which toilets, sinks, baths or showers are affected
• whether one fixture or several are blocked
• what you have already tried
• whether the blockage has happened before

What happens after I send it?

Enquiring is free and you are not committed to anything. Any work and its cost are agreed between you and the engineer. We are not an emergency call-out line.